


Nonsense and Happenings

by msniceguydoesntcry



Category: Inn Between (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Mutual Pining, Post Season 2, Pre-Relationship, might change as i go, relationship is very background but:
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:46:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23154262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msniceguydoesntcry/pseuds/msniceguydoesntcry
Summary: the 5 times a new guard saw the shenanigans of a certain duo and the time they lost hope for them to stop
Relationships: Meltyre/Sterling Whitetower
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	Nonsense and Happenings

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably obvious but Knight Nilian's pronouns are they/them and use Knight in place of sir or ma'am.

The first time it happened, it was Knight Nilian first day in the castle’s barracks. Well, _almost_ first day as they _had_ technically been there _before_ when their uncle was a knight _and_ they did technically arrive the night -heh- before but all they really did was get pointed to their bunk and drop asleep onto it- but the technicalities don't really matter.

  
The first time that Knight Nilian was a _Castle Guard on duty_ was the first time that they saw… the _unusual_ behavior of the Captain of the Guard and the Court Wizard. 

Their first day was simple shadowing of an older castle guard, an slightly older woman with graying hair conflicting with the youth she actually had, outside the door leading to the palace garden. She had briefed them on the walk to the doors, it was typically a one person job and made it a perfect place to train a new rook -the apparent nickname for any and all new castle guards. They’d been ‘assured’ that until new rooks showed up they would be stuck with the title. Anyways it would be a mostly quiet spot where she could teach and test their skills and etiquette, as few of the nastier nobles actually came to the garden and the others who came tended to be spaced out. As they came close to the doors, the other guard hit her palm with her other hand and added on, in a more casual voice than the almost barking tone of the rest of the previous brief, to not worry about the Captain and the Court Wizard, if they happened to come around during their shift. 

Before time Nilian had time to respond, they had reached the doors and were reliving the previous guard from their shift. A quick debrief, a smirk and comment about watching a rook to the older woman (who’s name they had already forgotten, Nilian realized with a shock of surprise and shame), and then a wish of luck to them specifically and the shift started, and the previous remark about the captain and wizard fled their mind as the woman started to lecture about what they do on this particular shift, and all general shifts of the garden, and how they are to address guests and how they are to- ect, ect. 

It wasn’t until 5 hours, 17 guests, and one ‘break’ from guarding the door to help the gardener with moving a broken stone table (really, _how_ did that group manage to do that?) later that they finally got the older guard’s name (Its _Raina_ ) and remembered the remark she had made about the Captain and Wizard. 

Most of the guests of the day had been dressed in pastel, flowy clothes that you could tell were expensive, by the shine of the buckles and buttons along with the sheerness of some of them, and had given the pair a kind nod and a flash of their identification, although mostly to Raina. Most had given them a once over, a few a kind smile, and turned their attention to the more experienced guard.

This next guest, however, was wearing simple clothing, similar to the kind that Nilian owned themself, a simple light tunic over work pants all under an open greenish cloak. Well, more of an aquamarin. He was also wearing a wizard hat that, frankly, had seen better days. It bore several patches, three of which that spectacularly did not match the rest. He walked quickly down the hall, hands fidgeting with the sleeves of his cloak, pushing them up. When he looked up and saw there were two guards at the door, he only smiled and waved. 

Raina, to Nilian’s surprise, waved back. Instead of asking for his identification as he reached them, she informed him “Lord Whitetower hadn’t arrived yet”. 

He nodded and proceeded to strike up conversation with both of them, putting his hands in his pockets, causing his sleeves to fall. 

Raina introduced the man as Meltyre, the Court Wizard, appointed by Queen Avaline herself. She stood impossibly straighter and clapped a hand on his shoulder, as she told them that he was in the group that saved the Dame herself from the Wood of Woe. He smiled bashfully at her and held up his hands as she started to tell the tale, but she continued to boast of his deed. Then of his _previous_ deed of rescuing and removing the curse from Princess Marie, which he then interrupted and started saying he couldn't take as much credit as she was giving him.

A hand clapped onto Meltyre’s shoulder. “Meltyre! You really must accept Raina’s praise! Without you, we would have never broken Princess Marie’s curse.” 

Nilian had not noticed the man come down the hall, being so engrossed in the story Raina was weaving, yet neither of the other two seemed surprised at his probably not-so sudden appearance. He was also dressed differently from the other noble guests they had earlier in the day, wearing a strange hat as well, a slightly worn button up shirt and trousers tucked into a pair of boots that Nilian recognized as the castle guard issued pair with a start. They looked up suddenly and glanced at Raina, embarrassed at subconsciously looking at his outfit instead of doing their duty. 

The man huffed a laugh and stuck out his hand with a smile. “You must be one of the Rooks. I’m Lord Sterling Whitetower, Captain of the Guard.” 

Nilian shook his hand and swallowed, slightly nervous. This was the _Captain of the Guard! Basically their boss!_ “Knight Nilian, sir.”

“Just Knight, Rook Nilian?” 

They gulped again and clasped their hands behind them, standing _that_ much taller. “Yes, sir.”

“Nice to make your acquaintance, Knight Nilian.” Sterling said with a slight nod. “I do believe I will be seeing you both at the Rook’s Dinner tonight, but if you excuse us-” 

Raina reached to open the doors to the garden immediately, again without asking for physical identification. “I will see you then, my lord. Meltyre, will you and your sisters be joining us again?”

“Oh! Ah,” Meltyre said with a flush quickly turning his ears pink, “If we are welcome after what happened the last time?”

Raina laughed and clapped him on the shoulder again. “That Rook’s dinner was the most entertaining of any I have attended. And I am certain that as long as Lord Whitetower is Captain, your family is welcome, sir.” She didn’t exactly _wink_ but her knowing tone and extra glint in her eyes told Nilian that she was very close to. 

The flush expanded to his cheeks and he ducked his head slightly, covering his face with the brim of his hat. “A-ah. Then yes, we will all be there.” 

With that, the duo went out to the garden, their chatter fading as they walked down the curving path that lead furthest away from the entrance. 

As they closed the doors, he turned to Raina and found she was already waiting for his questions. She sighed. “I know. Ask away, and I’ll answer best I can. We wont see them again for another hour, and no one else comes at this time, so you may relax.” 

Nillian furrowed his eyebrows at that. “What does that mean? Why does no one else come? We’ve had multiple visitors come in the same hour so far today.”

Raina leaned against the wall, and had mirth in her eyes, the same glint from before. “They've learned.” she said simply, yet with understanding.

“...Learned _what_ exactly?”

“That those two together cause…. Happenings.” She shook her head. “You _never_ know what nonsense they might find themselves in together. The last Rook’s Dinner? They ‘accidentally’ started a food fight.”

“Nonsense? A _food fight?_ ” Nilian asked incredulously, “How did they get to be Court Wizard and _Captain of the Guard_ if they start nonsense?!”

“Well, they _did_ save both Princess Marie and then Queen Avaline.” She says with a wave of her hand. “They are extraordinary at what they do, but alas. With unsupervised youth, comes nonsense.”

“..And they cause enough ‘nonsense’ to have the other nobles, what? _Afraid?_ To come during this hour?” 

She nods, and then they look down and frown. “They come everyday, at this time?”

Raina nods again, a small smirk forming on her face. “Everyday, a new nonsense each visit. Every rook and castle guard has a different story for the time they had this shift. It’s another rite of passage.”

“Just like how I’m going to be a rook for the next.. year?” They ask, shoulders slumping slightly in disbelief at the realization.

“Exactly.” She glances down the hall, and straightens back out. “This one is much newer and much more.. variable than the others.”

Someone turns down into their hall and that ends that conversation.

50 minutes later, the duo comes back, half soaked and wringing out their waterlogged hats, and tell them of how they were chased into the pond by several mad geese on their walk back. 

Neither, apparently, had seen the pond. 

**Author's Note:**

> i hope to work on this often, but alas, if i give out a time frame, specified or not, i will not do it. So. Expect more?
> 
> Kudos give me life! and comments give me dopamine. help a poor writer out 
> 
> Who do you think started the food fight? Sterling, Meltyre, Lydda, Seri, or Min on purpose, or a random rook by accident?


End file.
